


A Serious Allegation

by inRemote



Series: Edeleth Week 2019 [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/F, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 12:27:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20835449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inRemote/pseuds/inRemote
Summary: Edelgard confronts Byleth with something she's been told about the mercenary's past. Byleth finds the whole thing amusing.





	A Serious Allegation

**Author's Note:**

> prompt was "allegedly"

There hadn’t been a sound between them for a couple of hours when Edelgard saw fit to break the silence. This wasn’t unusual, of course. Edelgard and Byleth could spend entire days in comfortable silence, when given the opportunity. Neither was particularly good at smalltalk, and there was as much they could communicate through body language and small interactions as they could vocally.

But this time, a small thing was gnawing at Edelgard. Just a small thing.

“Byleth?”

Byleth looked up from a particularly verbose tome on fishing techniques. Another cause of their extended silence was respecting that they had some interests with absolutely no overlap.

“Yes, starshine?”

Edelgard flushed, but continued all the same. “May I ask you an awkward question?”

Byleth blinked. “El, I wouldn’t know what an awkward question would look or sound like. But by all means.”

Edelgard sighed, and pinched the bridge of her nose, as if preparing herself. “So I was speaking to some of your old mercenary unit the other day.”

“Oh. I haven’t seen them in a while. I was glad that some of them survived the war.”

“Yes, well.” Edelgard paused, and Byleth was looking over now, concern written on her face. “I ended up talking to them about you. About how you... Were. When you were still with them.”

“...Oh.” Byleth shifted uncomfortably. Thinking of herself from back then, emotionless and doll-like. All she had accomplished now only served as a stark contrast to those days. 

“I’m sorry. And I wouldn’t bring it up. But one of them said something that I feel... Compelled to verify.”

“Right.”

“There is no hostility here. I am not interrogating you.”

“Of course.”

“But there were allegations.”

“Of?”

“He said that in your later days as a mercenary, you were....” Edelgard’s face burned beet red by the time she finally reached the point. “To quote it direct from his mouth, that you were a ‘mad shagger’.”

Byleth actually laughed. She was still laughing when Edelgard started to panic, attempting to make it clear that she wasn’t angry, and it wasn’t any of her business, and that she was just curious.

“I suppose I was.” Byleth stated, as she calmed down, and Edelgard’s face did a weird thing in tandem with her gut. “There weren't many ways to amuse yourself on remote missions beyond drinking, singing, card games, and sex. Jeralt found it distasteful, but he permitted it, on the condition that they left me alone. I was curious, so I didn’t leave them alone. But yes. It was quite normal for mercenaries to have casual sex.”

“Ah.”

“Sometimes in groups.”

“_Ah. _”

“Often in groups.”

“I-I see! Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” Edelgard’s cheeks showed no sign of the colour ever leaving them at this point, and she was failing completely to meet Byleth’s eyes. “It was a long time ago, you were an adult. There’s no reason you shouldn’t have.”

“Your mouth says one thing, El, but you are clearly experiencing jealousy.”

“I am _ not _-!” Edelgard’s attempt at saying ‘jealous’ trailed off as she turned around to find Byleth’s face inches from her own. She stammered, scrabbling for words that refused to come.

Byleth just smiled. “El. I didn’t even know what love was, back then. And while I don’t think you need love to have sex, being in love might make it... Different. Everything I’ve done with you is different.”

She bumped her forehead against Edelgard’s, and the Emperor let out a deep sigh. “I am sorry, Byleth. This was unfair of me. Your lifestyle, and that of your compatriots, is not mine to judge. I suppose I just felt...”

“Jealous?”

“Yes, jealous.” Edelgard conceded, with a rueful smile.

Byleth placed a single, lingering kiss on Edelgard’s forehead. “You needn’t be, El. There is nothing I would not share with you, and nothing that would not be all the better for you being there. Sex is far from the only thing on that list.”

Edelgard nuzzled her head into the crook of Byleth’s neck, sinking into her warmth. “Of course, my heartbeat. The feeling is mutual.”

“But sex _ is _ on that list.”

“...Yes, Byleth.”

“And if you ever want to try more than two-”

“_Byleth_**!**” 

Byleth snicked to herself as she pulled away, returning to her book. “Yes, yes. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a riveting chapter on saltwater fishing I want to finish before our trip to Brigid.”

Edelgard could feel herself deflate as the tension left her. Byleth’s propensity for teasing had only increased as time went on. And as for the thoughts that came unbidden...

Well, never a dull day with Byleth around. That much was certain.

**Author's Note:**

> the first thing i came up with was "byleth is allegedly a mad shagger" and it went from there. sorry. complain at @scunnerfan


End file.
